Here is a nice little boosted M3 battle for your viewing pleasure. This comes courtesy of BimmerBoost member LostMarine who is the camera car with his supercharged DCT E92 M3 running the ESS VT1-535 kit with a higher boost pulley and meth. The white E90 M3 belongs to BimmerBoost member akh23456 also being a DCT car but running an Active Autowerke Stage 2+ setup with a bigger blower and meth. The final car is running the ESS VT2-600 supercharger kit with a catless exhaust.

Now, the Active Autowerke car puts a hurting on Lost Marine's ESS-VT1 setup. It straight up dusts him there is no easy way to say it. That is fine considering he is running the lowest power kit from ESS and it has no intercooler. What is fairly surprising is how well he does against the ESS VT2-600 setup, losing, but putting up a very good fight until the VT2-600 slowly pulls up top. We are guessing that VT2-600 owner is going to be looking into meth very quickly.

No transmission or shift excuses in this video with all M3's having the dual clutch transmission. All cars are supposedly on 93 octane but you never know. We do not get to see the Active Autowerke car run the ESS VT2-600 setup but it's not difficult to come to the realization that he would make easy work of it. That is one very quick M3 and we would like to get the full specs on the upgraded blower it is running as soon as possible. Very nice races, enjoy.

Does anyone notice that sudden spike in power on a lot of these ESS dynos? It doesn't happen all the time, but I seem to be noticing it more and more whenever I see dynos from E46 and E9X M3s boosted by ESS.

It looks like in the last couple hundred RPMs, there's a huge 15-20whp spike. I'd imagine that to make absolutely ZERO difference on the street and track, but a marvelous way to over inflate realistic numbers. Or maybe I'm looking into it way too far and it's simply just a dyno anomaly?

Does anyone notice that sudden spike in power on a lot of these ESS dynos? It doesn't happen all the time, but I seem to be noticing it more and more whenever I see dynos from E46 and E9X M3s boosted by ESS.

I think it has to do with the throttle closing and opening. ive seen the TPS logs showing they will close and open suddenly there.

Im really suprised some dont just talk about "AVG" hp, since some only use "AVG" boost measurements

Originally Posted by Sticky

Yes, the throttle bodies closing will cause a spike.

Originally Posted by LostMarine

right, ive seen tps close then reopen in higher rpms

Originally Posted by evolve

Good marketing strategy in some ways if it's done on purpose.

One kit could be making less power everywhere through the rpm range and just make more peak at the rpm limiter as the result of a spike on a dyno. However dyno HP sells.

Thanks for the replies and bit of information. I definitely learn something new every day! I never got a response from any of the other companies, so good to know that I can find solid information here from everyone.

I couldn't agree anymore Sticky. This why I continue to participate on all the forums readily active. I like to purposely ask questions to not only learn, but to try and get others to start thinking a bit more.

I asked about those spikes in various threads over the internet and have never gotten an answer except for potential reasonings within this sole thread. I would love to hear from ESS why I happen to notice this trend in some of their dynos. I am not accusing them of misleading the community, because for all I know, as many of you have said, it could just be a by-product of the throttle closing/opening.

What I'm trying to say is that there needs to be some sort of revival in this E9X M3 community. Not to get suckered by peak numbers but to really learn the engineering and reasoning behind what's for sale out there. I feel like that would be the only way someone can truly decide what's best for them in an unbiased manner.

Good luck asking questions on the other ones where they jump all over you or brush it off. Either way, you can't question it the way you can here.

Originally Posted by flipm3

I asked about those spikes in various threads over the internet and have never gotten an answer except for potential reasonings within this sole thread. I would love to hear from ESS why I happen to notice this trend in some of their dynos.

Don't expect to get an answer.

Originally Posted by flipm3

What I'm trying to say is that there needs to be some sort of revival in this E9X M3 community. Not to get suckered by peak numbers but to really learn the engineering and reasoning behind what's for sale out there. I feel like that would be the only way someone can truly decide what's best for them in an unbiased manner.

Well I already tried once to do a comparison between all the kits. I guess I can try again. With Active and Gintani here plus all the ESS guys we should be able to get all 3 together. That leaves VF for the US kits and they are in Anaheim so I can probably convince them.

I think common sense in the industry is not to look at the spiked numbers. It can happen with many cars. Even some auto's upshift at redline & give a spiked number. Most tuners don't look at that number & it shouldn't be used for marketing.

I don't think you can induce a spike by design in a charger kit. Centri's will ramp up boost quickly in the last few hundred rpm. hitting the rev limiter or dyno limiter or the gearbox upshifting will cause a spike. So I think the spike is more dyno-related.